AQA - A CHRISTMAS CAROL SUMMARY
The novella opens on Christmas Eve in London, seven years after the death of Ebenezer Scrooge’s
business partner Jacob Marley. Scrooge is a lonely, aging old miser. Scrooge turns away t wo men
who are collecting money for the local poor.
That evening Scrooge is visited at home by the ghost of his dead business partner Jacob Marley.
Marley was like Scrooge a miserly person, has been condemned to wander the earth ent wined by
heavy chains and money boxes forged during his lifetime of greed. Marley warns Scrooge that
he has one chance to avoid the same fate and tells him that he will be visited by three spirits and
must listen to them.
The first spirit arrives, The Ghost of Christmas Past, the spirit takes Scrooge to Christmas
scenes from his own childhood and adolescence. The scenes reveal Scrooge’s lonely and miserable
childhood at boarding school and his relationship with his beloved sister Fan. They also show the
Christmas party hosted by Mr Fezziwig, with whom Scrooge did his apprenticeship. Scrooge also
sees his former neglected Fiancé Belle, she is shown breaking off their engagement as she knows
Scrooge will never love her as much as he loves money. Scrooge is upset when he hears her
description of him and demands the spirit removes him from the house.
Stave three begins with the arrival of the second spirit, The Ghost of Christmas Present. Firstly
the spirit takes scrooge to a couple of happy Christmas scenes. The ghost then takes Scrooge to
see people he knows. Firstly his nephew Fred’s Christmas party then to see the Cratchit family.
Here Scrooge sees Bob’ youngest son Tiny Tim, Tiny Tim Is a crippled boy who is seriously ill. The
spirit warns Scrooge that Tiny Tim will die soon unless the course of events changes.
Before the ghost departs, it shows Scrooge t wo hideous children named Ignorance and Want. The
spirit tells Scrooge to beware of the former above all.
The third spirit The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrives, the ghost shows Scrooge Christmas
Day in the future. The ghost remains silent and shows Scrooge scenes involving the death of a
hated man, whose funeral is only attended by local businessmen as they will be given a free
lunch. His char women, laundress and the undertaker steal his possessions to sell to a pawnbroker.
Scrooge asks the spirit to show him a single person who feels any emotion over his death, he is
only shown one poor couple who rejoice at his death as it gives them time to repay their debts.
When asked to see tenderness connected to any death, he is shown the Cratchit family mourning
the death of Tiny Tim. The ghost then shows Scrooge his neglected grave. Sobbing Scrooge pledges
to change his ways.
Scrooge awakens on Christmas morning a genuinely changed man. He starts by making a large
donation to the charity he rejected the day before. He anonymously sends a large turkey to the
Cratchit family and spends the afternoon with Fred’s family. The following day he gives Bob
Cratchit a substantial pay rise and becomes a father figure to Tiny Tim. From then on Scrooge
treats everyone with compassion, generosity and kindness.
The novella opens on Christmas Eve in London, seven years after the death of Ebenezer Scrooge’s
business partner Jacob Marley. Scrooge is a lonely, aging old miser. Scrooge turns away t wo men
who are collecting money for the local poor.
That evening Scrooge is visited at home by the ghost of his dead business partner Jacob Marley.
Marley was like Scrooge a miserly person, has been condemned to wander the earth ent wined by
heavy chains and money boxes forged during his lifetime of greed. Marley warns Scrooge that
he has one chance to avoid the same fate and tells him that he will be visited by three spirits and
must listen to them.
The first spirit arrives, The Ghost of Christmas Past, the spirit takes Scrooge to Christmas
scenes from his own childhood and adolescence. The scenes reveal Scrooge’s lonely and miserable
childhood at boarding school and his relationship with his beloved sister Fan. They also show the
Christmas party hosted by Mr Fezziwig, with whom Scrooge did his apprenticeship. Scrooge also
sees his former neglected Fiancé Belle, she is shown breaking off their engagement as she knows
Scrooge will never love her as much as he loves money. Scrooge is upset when he hears her
description of him and demands the spirit removes him from the house.
Stave three begins with the arrival of the second spirit, The Ghost of Christmas Present. Firstly
the spirit takes scrooge to a couple of happy Christmas scenes. The ghost then takes Scrooge to
see people he knows. Firstly his nephew Fred’s Christmas party then to see the Cratchit family.
Here Scrooge sees Bob’ youngest son Tiny Tim, Tiny Tim Is a crippled boy who is seriously ill. The
spirit warns Scrooge that Tiny Tim will die soon unless the course of events changes.
Before the ghost departs, it shows Scrooge t wo hideous children named Ignorance and Want. The
spirit tells Scrooge to beware of the former above all.
The third spirit The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrives, the ghost shows Scrooge Christmas
Day in the future. The ghost remains silent and shows Scrooge scenes involving the death of a
hated man, whose funeral is only attended by local businessmen as they will be given a free
lunch. His char women, laundress and the undertaker steal his possessions to sell to a pawnbroker.
Scrooge asks the spirit to show him a single person who feels any emotion over his death, he is
only shown one poor couple who rejoice at his death as it gives them time to repay their debts.
When asked to see tenderness connected to any death, he is shown the Cratchit family mourning
the death of Tiny Tim. The ghost then shows Scrooge his neglected grave. Sobbing Scrooge pledges
to change his ways.
Scrooge awakens on Christmas morning a genuinely changed man. He starts by making a large
donation to the charity he rejected the day before. He anonymously sends a large turkey to the
Cratchit family and spends the afternoon with Fred’s family. The following day he gives Bob
Cratchit a substantial pay rise and becomes a father figure to Tiny Tim. From then on Scrooge
treats everyone with compassion, generosity and kindness.
